Hal-owe'en
by Ruby Rosetta Red
Summary: A seasonal one shot. Hal doesn't do Hallowe'en as a rule but for Tom and Alex he makes an exception with a surprising result. All errors are my own and are unintentional.


**I don't often write Hallowe'en one shots but this one came to me this evening. I wonder what Hal would think of the occasion? My interpretation of one Hallowe'en night at Honolulu Heights. The characters belong to Toby Whithouse and his band of merry talented writers and the BBC. I just love them enough to write about them. All errors are unintentional, a bit of supposition has been used. Hope you like it. **

* * *

**Hal-owe'en.**

If he's to be honest then he's only gradually become aware of the date. Of course he's aware of its existence but in the grand scheme of things it hasn't really held any real interest for him.

The last day of October, Samhain, _Hallowe'en_.

In the past he's been thankful of this country's lack of real interest in the day but as the years have slid past, interest has grown and he wonders whether the enthusiasm geared for the occasion across the Atlantic has had something to do with it gaining in popularity over here.

It makes his spine prickle with discomfort.

The people who celebrate with their costumes, face paint and pumpkins really have no idea of what really lurks in the shadows. Oh they may think that they do, they may even pretend that they would welcome such proof but in reality if they were faced with incontrovertible evidence then they really wouldn't.

Instead they'd be on their doorstep with pitchforks and torches. And he's not talking about the ones that require batteries.

He wonders why people would celebrate the existence of monsters when they were truly unaware of what hid and prowled so close to their doorsteps. It's illogical.

* * *

He lets himself into the house and pulls up short and he frowns when he sees the fine grey cobwebby strands that hang from the doorway. He sighs.

"What is this?" he enquires coolly as he pushes it carefully to one side and slides through. He sees Alex hang a three dimensional jack o' lantern decoration above the bar and he waits. She turns and she smiles at him. He watches as she slides off the bench to stand in front of him and wipes her hands on the back of her dress.

"What does it look like Mr Grumpy Pants? It's a Hallowe'en decoration…considerin' as it's _Hallowe'en_ today." the smile slides from her face as she watches how he drops his keys into the wide bowl at the end of the bar.

"Is it really necessary?" he asks as he slips off his jacket and goes to hang it up.

"Awww Hal…c'mon it's just a bit of fun…remember that? Oh that's right, you don't _do_ fun d'you?" her voice sharpens and he rolls his eyes.

He heads into the kitchen and sees more such decorations. It looks like an explosion inside of one of those card shops in here. He then sees the large orange plastic bowl that graces the bench beside the sink and he sighs. It is filled with chocolate and other such candy. He turns on his heel and goes back into the living room, pushing the double doors with such strength that they sway violently to and fro behind him.

"What do you think that you are doing?" he demands, his temper shortening by the moment.

"So you saw the sweeties. Don't touch them, I've already chased Tom away once, they're for the kids."

"_What_ kids Alex? In case it has escaped your notice that there are no children in this street!" he closes his eyes and he takes a slow deep breath and opens his eyes and looks at her.

"You're wasting your time." he tells her in a lower, calmer voice. Alex stares at him with wide almost stunned eyes.

"How do you know? Do you know that this is the one time of the year when we don't have to hide what we are? You could do the black eyed fangy thing and people would think it was a really cool party trick…"

"Just be thankful that it isn't a full moon tonight, I don't think the general public would really appreciate Tom on the loose now do you? He's not exactly cute and fluffy in his wolf form. And let's not forget that no one outside of this house can actually _see_ you so what would people think if they saw a bowl floating in mid-air when you answer the door?" Hal retaliates furiously and he sees the anger flare in her eyes.

"Oh…screw you…you don't have to be involved, it was just an idea, one that Tom seemed to like." she snaps back.

"Well given that Tom is basically a child then that is completely understandable."

"Jesus Hal…you really have no heart do you?" her voice goes quiet and Hal swallows. He looks down at his shoes for a moment.

"I'm…sorry," he lifts his head to regard her one more time. "But you must see it from my point of view. All of this…_celebration_…of something they think is just a myth is…_galling_." his voice softens slightly. He watches Alex approach him.

"I know and I do, really but before all of this happened to me…before I…_died_…my dad used to make a big deal out of Hallowe'en for me. He did the whole thing, the pumpkin, the costume, and the sweeties. He's this big macho bloke and when I was wee, he'd make a costume for me and he couldn't sew worth a damn but he tried. When I got bigger then we'd all pile on the sofa with a big bowl of popcorn and watch horror movies until the early hours an' I'd always be knackered the next day for school…" her tirade suddenly ceases.

"The Millar family always made a big deal of Hallowe'en an' just because I'm now one of those things that actually _does_ go bump in the night doesn't mean that I can't celebrate it. I want to, just for one night." she hisses at him. She barges past him and he rocks on his heels as her shoulder makes a solid connection against his and he slowly turns and listens as she stomps noisily up the stairs. He sighs and scratches his head and once more he catches sight of the gaudy orange, green and purple decorations.

"It really isn't a big deal y'know." Hal spins when he hears Tom's voice and sees him in the other doorway.

"Where the bloody hell did you appear from?" Hal demands testily and watches him enter the room and pause beside the bar. He watches how he looks at Alex's decorations before returning his attention to him.

"It's just for one night…what's the 'arm in it?"

"She's a ghost Tom, she can't be seen by anyone but us and very young children and I'm talking about infants here." Hal snaps back. Tom sighs.

"It could be a laugh…little kids knockin' on the door dressed up as tiny vampires an' werewolves an' ghosts…" he grins as if the very idea tickles him. Hal folds his arms.

"Oh of course and being given sweets and treats by the real things. I can imagine that it'd be hilarious." he drawls. The grin fades from Tom's face and he straightens slightly.

"No one asked you t' get involved Hal, you can stop in yer room if it upsets ya that much…" he gently chides.

"It's just fer a little while…they won't stop up late an' it'd mean a lot to Alex." he tags on. Hal sighs raggedly.

"It's ridiculous…"

"Hey…vampire…werewolf and there's a ghost upstairs. That should be ridiculous but it ain't." Tom gently corrects and Hal just regards him.

* * *

Dusk has fallen outside when he hears the letterbox rattle. He swallows when he hears the excited chatter of young children on the doorstep. Hal turns his head and sees Tom appear with the orange plastic bowl in his arms. He's wearing vampire fangs and in other circumstances that would make Hal chuckle but he's too distracted to be amused.

"Go an' answer the door Hal…" he makes a shooing motion towards the door. Hal sighs and is about to disagree when he sees Alex appear behind Tom and her eyes are sparkling with anticipation. Something fades and softens inside of Hal and instead he rolls his eyes and goes to open the door.

He pauses when he sees them all accumulated there. They're very…small and all in various costumes. He sees a couple of vampires and he has to admire the cloaks and white shirts as well as the plastic fangs, at least he hopes that they're plastic. There are also a couple of werewolves with their fluffy masks and exaggerated claws and torn clothing. He turn his head as Tom appears beside him and his grin reappears when he sees the children and their costumes.

"Wicked…" he sighs happily and begins to dole out the chocolate. Hal remains standing stiffly beside him and he watches how they crowd closer to them. His shoulders stiffen and he subtly presses his spine up against the door jamb. There are so _many_ of them.

He sees the young girl at the back of the crowd and she's observing all of them with a wistful expression on her face. He turns his head to look at Tom. He's dropping sweets into a variety of Hallowe'en themed buckets and bags and watching them as they shout their thanks and hurry back along the path towards a small group of adults waiting by the gate.

"Tom…" a small group of children remains and they're all eager for a treat. Hal takes a breath and dips his hand into the bowl and he takes a small handful of sweets and he carefully slips around the small crowd, towards the girl. She's wearing an old fashioned ankle length white dress and her face is just as pale with dusty grey shadows beneath both eyes. She watches silently as he approaches her.

"There's plenty to go around. You mustn't be shy." he tells her in a low voice. She doesn't answer and instead he drops the sweets into the plain white bag that she carries. She looks down at them and then slowly she looks up at him. He watches as the sweetest, most brilliant smile crosses her face and then she fades away in front of his eyes. His mouth drops open with shock and he turns his head towards Alex who has taken his place beside Tom. He watches her smile in acknowledgment. He looks back down to where the little girl had stood. How could he have not known what she was? He remains rooted to the spot as the last of their guests depart with shouted thanks.

"What's the matter Hal?" Tom asks, seeing the frown on his face.

"Nothing…" he mutters and he goes back into the house.

* * *

All three of them pause when they see the child standing in the living room.

"What are you doing in here?" Hal asks. The little girl smiles at him with that same sweet smile.

"You gave me some sweets. Nobody ever gave me sweets before." she tells him and he watches as she approaches him. Hal regards her solemnly.

"I'm Sarah. What's your name?" she asks and she slips a hand into his. Hal freezes but he doesn't pull his hand away.

"My name is Hal. What are you doing here Sarah?" he lifts his head and he looks at Alex and Tom who regard them with interest.

"You gave me some sweets. All I ever wanted was some sweets but I was never allowed." her eyes are large and brown he realises.

"Thank you." She turns her head as a bright light fills the room and they all see the door that has appeared beside the fireplace. He feels her fingers tighten around his for a moment.

"Is that for me?" she asks curiously. The door opens and reveals an entrance way of pure light.

"Yes, I think it is." Hal replies softly. He feels her unloosen her fingers. She clutches her little white bag closer to her narrow chest.

"What's waiting for me…do you know?" she asks, looking up at him. Hal takes a short breath and then swallows.

"Whatever or whoever you want…" Alex intervenes softly. Sarah looks at her and she just smiles at her.

"I hope it's my gran…" she confides and she turns to the doorway once more. They watch her approach it and pause beside it. The light bathes her face and her long dark hair. She looks at Hal once more.

"Thank you for the sweets Hal." she says one more time and she disappears through the door. It closes behind her and Hal remembers the last time he witnessed such a thing. He swallows against a lump that has suddenly formed.

"Ahh…her unfinished business was for someone to give her some sweeties. How lovely…and you were the one to give them to her. It's almost…" Hal stares at her and she grins and chuckles and just shakes her head.

* * *

"What's the first film in tonight's marathon? Budge up Hal…" Tom drops down onto the sofa between Alex and Hal, an enormous bowl of popcorn in his arms. Hal glances at him and what he is carrying.

"What in God's name is that?" he demands archly. Tom glances at him.

"Popcorn Hal…don't tell me you've never 'ad popcorn before…"

"Of course I have…do you realise …."

"Oh pipe down…it's tradition…ain't it Alex?" Tom shifts as he looks at Alex and Hal watches in alarm as the bowl tilts drunkenly.

"Yep, it is. Don't knock it til you've tried it…I only wish that I could…" Alex sighs regretfully. Tom glances at her once more.

"If you want a taste then you can…just touch me when I'm eatin' it an' you'll taste it as well…"

"Really? not bein' funny but I think I'll pass thanks…."

"Have you two _quite_ finished…the film is about to begin!" Hal hisses.

"Oh excuse _me_!"

"Ya didn't answer me question before…what…"

"Frankenstein…the original Boris Karloff classic." Hal retorts impatiently and watches as a kernel or two of the popcorn slides out of the bowl and drops onto his knee. He brushes it fastidiously away with the back of one hand.

"Followed by Dracula…the Bela Lugosi version no less and then finally, The Wolf Man…which stars Lon Chaney junior…" Alex adds.

A very brief silence falls.

"It's in black 'n' white…are they all in black'n' white?" Tom asks as Hal hits play on the remote control and the only light that fills the room is from the television screen.

"Yes and so they should be, they're classics…" Hal replies and settles back in the sofa. Their Hallowe'en marathon is a day late but he has to admit that it's been worth it to see the smile on Alex's face.

He smiles slightly to himself.

_***FIN***_


End file.
